Los Teques, Venezuela — As I compose these words from the Ramo Verde military prison outside Caracas, I am struck by how much Venezuelans have suffered.
For 15 years, the definition of “intolerable” in this country has declined by degrees until, to our dismay, we found ourselves with one of the highest murder rates in the Western Hemisphere, a 57 percent inflation rate and a scarcity of basic goods unprecedented outside of wartime.
Our crippled economy is matched by an equally oppressive political climate. Since student protests began on Feb. 4, more than 1,500 protesters have been detained and more than 50 have reported that they were tortured while in police custody. Over 30 people, including security forces and civilians, have died in the demonstrations. What started as a peaceful march against crime on a university campus has exposed the depth of this government’s criminalization of dissent.
I have been in prison for more than a month. On Feb. 12, I urged Venezuelans to exercise their legal rights to protest and free speech — but to do so peacefully and without violence. Three people were shot and killed that day. An analysis of video by the news organization Últimas Noticias determined that shots were fired from the direction of plainclothes military troops.
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You can just read the rest of this article here The editoral was originally published in a opposition Venezuelan newspaper.
As he wrote these words from the military prison, he was struck on how much the upper-class Venezuelans have "suffered". If Venezuela has a high crime rate, why they're are most likely situated in barrios, where they've already taken care of by their own communities while the upper-class have their own private neighborhoods with security. A 57 percent inflation rate because they import almost all of their goods because Venezuela is still a oil based economy. And a scarcity of basic goods because the working-class has more purchasing power than ever before, and currently the industry can't keep up (not to mention that we self-inflicted that shortage by hording goods, smuggling subsized basic goods to Columbia for political ends!)
His crippled econmy is mated by a equally oppressive political climate against the hostile economiclly privileged. Since his guarimba insurrection started more than 1500 insurgents have been arrested and a small portion of that are awaiting trial for serious offenses including murder. 40 people, 15 of them who are apolitical, 12 of the PSUV alined, with 6 people from the police and national guard, are killed. What started harmless campaign for a change in government turned into soft coup disgused as a student movement.
A response to this Op-Ed from of all places, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
With reference to the opinion article entitled "Venezuela’s failing state", written by Mr. Leopoldo López, which first appeared in The New York Times and was republished by Saudi Gazette on March 27, 2014, I would like to use my “right to reply” when something biased and false is published about the country that I have the honor to represent.
Mr. Lopez is a politician who unfortunately became known to the international public in April 2002, when he was an active supporter and participant of the failed coup, which only lasted 47 hours, against the elected President Hugo Chávez. At that time, being Mayor of Chacao, one of the districts of Caracas, he committed serious crimes against the Constitution as well as the human rights of the then Minister of Interior and Justice (among others). He was also disqualified from holding public office for three years from November 2008 for being involved in corrupt practices, including embezzlement of public funds.
Leopoldo López, a convulsive politician of the opposition, reappeared on the international scene making a public call in early February 2014 to subvert the national public order and forcibly depose the elected government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. This new coup attempt has caused until now the death of more than 30 Venezuelans, while hundreds have been injured and public property has been destroyed.
Mr. Leopoldo López has been in jail since February 18, accused of intentional homicide, terrorism, causing serious damage, incitement to crime and damage to public property. What is written in the article has nothing to do with what is taking place in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Seriously, what failing state?
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